Physical, Chemical, and Organoleptic Properties Red Barangan Banana (Musa acuminata) Salai Produced from Various Fruit Ripening Stages by Operating YSD-UNIB18 Hybrid Dryer with Biomass Heat Source

Red Barangan bananas are commercially valuable, but approximately 20% of harvested fruit is unsuitable for the fresh market and requires processing into banana salai. This study examined the physical, chemical, and organoleptic properties of banana salai produced from five ripening fractions (3, 4, 5, 6, and 7) using the YSD-UNIB18 hybrid dryer with a biomass heat source, following a completely randomized design. Ripening stage significantly affected texture, color, total sugar content, and pH, but had no significant effect on final moisture or ash content. Advanced ripening stages resulted in softer texture, darker color, and increased sucrose and pH values. All fractions met the SNI 01-4319-1996 quality standard, confirming that the YSD-UNIB18 dryer efficiently produced high-quality banana salai. Organoleptic testing showed that ripening stage significantly influenced panelists’ preferences for color, aroma, texture, taste, and overall acceptance. In conclusion, fraction 6 achieved the highest overall preference score, identifying it as the optimum ripening stage for producing premium red barangan banana salai.